Father Stath Melani

Stath Melani (18 September 1858 – 24 December 1917) was an Albanian Orthodox priest who participated in the Congress of Manastir and helped spread awareness of the Albanian written language in southern Albania.[1] He was killed by a group of Greek nationalists near Përmet for insisting on the use of the Albanian language in the local Orthodox liturgy.[2]

Life

Stath Melani was born on 18 September 1858 in Melan, in the district of Përmet.[3][4][5] Except for Stathi, his parents, Konstandin and Zoica had three girls named Marina, Eftalia and Anastasia.[5][6] His father who had emigrated to Istanbul, brought Stathi with him in 1876–1877, and Stathi taught at one of the schools and worked as a newspaper boy there, having attained the latter job with the help of Albanian patriots such as Josif Prifti from Ogdunan, a village of Përmet.[5][6] Stathi met with many Albanian patriots and became active in the distribution of Albanian-language books, primarily coming from Bucharest distributed by one Stefan Pellazgu.[5][7] The activity of Melani and other patriots worried the Ottoman authorities that managed to jail Pellazgu while Melani went to the US.[8] In 1888, he married Konstandina Logo from the village of Izgar near his home in Melan, and the two had nine children together, five boys and four girls.[5][9] Worried about the situation in Përmet he became a priest in the Church of Saint Mary in Worcester, Massachusetts.[10][5] Between 1914 and 1917 Stathi served as priest for the St. Nicholas Church in Southbridge, Massachusetts.[11][10]

His Albanian nationalist activism lasted 35 years and began first in Istanbul, to continue in the United States and in Albania. He contributed to the Albanian Renaissance with writings, books, newspapers and oral tales.[10][12] Mihal Grameno said in 1907 described Melani as "a flaming patriot, wise and brave, and stubborn to fight for the rights of the Albanians during the time of Sultan Abdul Hamid II".[10][13] Fan Noli wrote of him with great respect. Melani was not only a priest but also an armed resistance fighter with his own çeta; allied çeta captains included Mihal Grameno, Sali Butka,[10][14] Cerciz Topulli and Themistokli Gërmenji.[15][16][17] Instigated by Greek Metropolitans, Stathi was killed in 1917[18] on 24 December, Christmas Eve, by Greek nationalists (andartes)[19][5] near Përmet and his head was sent to Greece.[20][21] The death of Stath Melani caused a wave of protests across southern Albanian-inhabited areas, and also among Albanians living abroad in the US and elsewhere.[22][14][10] Three years later, in 1920, Thanas Budo executed Josif Suropulli, the man who had killed Stathi Melani, just outside of Postenan.[17][23]

Legacy

Stath Melani's exploits and actions are sung in ballads by Albanians.[11] A road and a school in Përmet are named after him.[24][25]

References

  1. ↑ Vatra e kulturës (in Albanian). Shtëpija Qëndrore e Krijimtarisë Popullore. 1969. p. 30.
  2. ↑ Pepa, Pjetër (2003). The criminal file of Albania's communist dictator. Uegen. p. 235. ISBN 9789992754276. He was the successor of Padre Stath Melani, who was massacred and treacherously killed by Greek bands (in Melan at 1912) because he had responded to the bishop "Your Grace! Albanians communicate with God better and sooner in Albanian than in the Greek language
  3. ↑ Verli, Marenglen (2008). Shqipëria e viteve 1912-1964 në kujtimet e Spiro Kosovës, Vëllimi I (in Albanian). QSA. pp. 24–27.
  4. ↑ Kotani, Apostol (1997). Kapedan At Stath Melani me shokë (in Albanian). Shoqata Atdhetare për të Rënët e Kombit Shqiptar. p. 16.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Bezati, Kastriot. At Stath Melani, dëshmor i madh i Shqiperisë shpallet "Nderi i Kombit". 25 Dec 2015. Accessed 20 July 2017
  6. 1 2 Kotani 1997, p. 25.
  7. ↑ Kotani 1997, pp. 26–27.
  8. ↑ Kotani 1997, p. 32.
  9. ↑ Kotani 1997, p. 44.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Verli 2008, pp. 24–27.
  11. 1 2 Tarasar, Constance J. (1975). Orthodox America, 1794–1976: Development of the Orthodox Church in America. Orthodox Church in America, Department of History and Archives. p. 311. "The Reverend Father Stathi Melani served St. Nicholas Church in Southbridge from 1914-1917. In 1918, he journeyed to Albania to assist in the national awakening, and was martyred in that year for attempting to celebrate Divine services in the Albanian language.... For a similar act, Father Kristo Negovani, also from America, had suffered martyrdom (from Orthodox hands!), as did Father Stathi Melani, of whom ballads are still sung today."
  12. ↑ Minga, Hasan; Minga, Mehmet (2006). Çamëria: vështrim historik (in Albanian). publisher not identified. pp. 159, 164. ISBN 9789994380978.
  13. ↑ Kostallari, Androkli; Çabej, Eqrem; Domi, Mahir (1970). Rregullat e drejshkrimit të shqipes: (Projekt) (in Albanian). Enti i teksteve dhe i mjeteve mësimore i Krahinës Socialiste Autonome të Kosovës. p. 80.
  14. 1 2 Apostol Kotani. "At Stath Melani (1858-1917)". Vrasja e At Stathit shkaktoi nje vale te madhe te hidherimi ne krahinat e Permetit, Leskovikut, Kolonjes, Gjinokastres, Tepelenes, Delvines, Sarandes, Vlores, tek shqiptaret jashte atdheut ne ShBA dhe gjetke.
  15. ↑ Kotani 1997, p. 87.
  16. ↑ Kastiot Bezati (4 January 2017). "Kastiot Bezati: Përmeti, qyteti i vetëm ballkanik, i djegur 4 herë brenda nje viti nga nazifashistet". Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  17. 1 2 Marin Mema (4 January 2017). "Historia e priftit shqiptar At Stath Melani, që ishte komandant çete". Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  18. ↑ Catholicism, Culture, Conversion: The History of the Jesuits in Albania (1841-1946). Pontificio Istituto orientale. 1923. p. 61. ISBN 9788872103524. "At the instigation of Greek Metropolitans, on 24 November 1917, Greek bands killed Stath Melani from Permet."
  19. ↑ Kotani 1997, p. 114.
  20. ↑ Kotani 1997, pp. 114–117.
  21. ↑ Shqerra, Nereida (2014). "Nationalism in Multi-Religious Nations: The Albanian and the United States Case". In European Journal of Social Sciences Education and Research, vol 1 nr 2 Aug 2014. ISSN 2312-8429. Pages 302-305. Page 303: "Another effort of Albanian patriots of the period 1839-1912 was to make the Albanian Religions self-governing. Many of them like Petro Nini Luarasi, Naum Veqilharxhi, Papa Kristo Negovani, At Stath Melani, were killed by Greek chauvinists in their efforts to create The Albanian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (Kisha Ortodokse Autoqefale Shqiptare). Later on, Fan Noli succeeded to create The Albanian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in United States, although not legal in Albania, during his years in exile there and was ordained its priest. "
  22. ↑ Kotani 1997, p. 116.
  23. ↑ Kotani 1997, pp. 115–117.
  24. ↑ "Shkolla 9-vjeçare". wikimapia.org (in Albanian). Retrieved 2017-07-31.
  25. ↑ "Rruga At Stath Melani, Përmet". albania-streets.openalfa.com. Retrieved 2017-07-31.
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